Statutory health warning scrolls under movie scenes depicting the consumption of liquor might soon be a thing of the past.
The Abkari (Amendment) Bill, 2023 sent to the select committee by the Assembly by voice vote, seeks to do away with the practice. But, there is a proviso. The filmmaker can choose not to exhibit the cautionary warnings on depositing ₹50,000.
The government appears to have hewed to a recommendation by film-maker Adoor Gopalakrishnan that such chyrons and screen warnings mar artistic expression and hobble the director’s attempts to capture facets of life, including drinking, and adversely affect the storyline.
